Raceways are often used to protect and conceal wires and cabling in classrooms, businesses and the like. By utilizing raceways, wiring and cables may be installed and/or removed by a contractor without the contractor having to open existing walls. Since building spaces are often changed from one use to another within a very short period of time, it can be appreciated that the use of raceways in new construction provides significant flexibility to the occupant of the space.
Heretofore, these prior raceways have been specially formed as hollow tubes of predetermined lengths. Alternatively, raceways have been developed that may be opened and closed along the entire length thereof to facilitate the insertion and/or removal of wires and cables. However, these raceways usually require special tools to open and close the raceways. This, in turn, increases the overall cost of the raceways, as well as, the time associated with installing the wiring and cables.
Various efforts have been made to overcome the limitations of prior raceways. By way of example, Katz, U.S. Pat. No. 5,814,767 discloses a single extended strip that is folded to form a raceway. The strip includes a plurality of longitudinally extending fold lines preformed therein such that the strip may be folded to form the sides, top and bottom of the raceway. Adhesive strips are used to secure the raceway closed and to affix the formed raceway to a selected wall or surface. While functional for its intended purpose, the raceway disclosed in the '767 patent is limited due to the use of an adhesive strip to maintain the raceway in a closed configuration. As is known, adhesive strips quickly loose their adhesive properties with the repeated opening and closing of the raceway. Consequently, it is highly desirable to provide a raceway having greater durability.
Therefore, it is a primary object and feature of the present invention to provide a raceway that may be formed from a single length of material.
It is a still further object and feature of the present invention to provide a raceway that may be repeatedly opened and closed.
It is a still further object and feature of the present invention to provide a raceway that is inexpensive to manufacture and simple to utilize.
In accordance with the present invention, a flexible conduit is provided for forming a raceway for cables and wires. The conduit includes a generally flat strip extending along an axis and including a first plurality of hinges generally parallel to the axis. The strip is foldable along the first plurality of hinges between a first open configuration and a second closed configuration wherein the strip defines the raceway. A locking structure releasably maintains the strip of material in the closed configuration.
The strip may also include a second plurality of hinges spaced along the axis. Each hinge of the second plurality of hinges extends along a corresponding hinge axis generally perpendicular to the axis of the strip. The strip includes a first latching portion; a backing portion; a bottom portion; and a second latching portion. The first plurality of hinges includes a first hinge interconnecting the first latching portion and the backing portion of the strip; a second hinge for interconnecting the backing portion and the bottom portion of the strip; and a third hinge for interconnecting the bottom portion and the second latching portion of the strip.
The first latching portion of the strip has a first edge interconnected to the first hinge and a second, hooked edge. The second latching portion of the strip has a first edge interconnected to the third hinge and a second, hooked edge. The hooked edge of the first latching portion and the hooked edge of the second latching portion form a mating relationship with the strip in the closed configuration.
The first latching portion of the strip includes a plurality of axially spaced slits therein. Each slit in the first latching portion is transverse to the axis of the strip. The second latching portion of the strip includes a plurality of axially spaced slits therein. Each slit in the second latching portion is transverse to the axis of the strip. A second plurality of hinges is spaced along the axis of the strip. Each hinge of the second plurality of hinges extends along the back portion and the bottom portion of strip and is transverse to the axis of the strip with the strip in the open configuration. Each slit in the first latching portion of the strip is coaxial with a corresponding hinge of the second plurality of hinges and with a corresponding slit of the plurality of slits in the second latching portion with the strip in the open configuration. It is also contemplated for the second latching portion to include a generally flat face disposed between the first and second edges thereof. The flat face includes a plurality of axially spaced apertures therethough for allowing access into and out of the raceway.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a flexible conduit that forms a raceway for cables and wires is provided. The flexible conduit includes a generally flat strip extending along an axis and a first plurality of hinges in the strip. Each of the first plurality of hinges is generally parallel to the axis such that the strip is foldable along the first plurality of hinges between a first open configuration and a second closed configuration wherein the strip of material defines the raceway. A second plurality of hinges, spaced along the axis, is also provided in the strip. Each hinge of the second plurality of hinges extends along a corresponding hinge axis generally perpendicular to the axis of the strip such that the strip is foldable along the second plurality of hinges between the first open configuration and a second folded configuration. The flexible conduit may also include a locking structure for releasably maintaining the strip in the closed configuration.
The flat strip includes a first latching portion, a backing portion, a bottom portion and a second latching portion. The first plurality of hinges includes a first hinge interconnecting the first latching portion and the backing portion of the strip; a second hinge for interconnecting the backing portion and the bottom portion of the strip; and a third hinge for interconnecting the bottom portion and the second latching portion of the strip. The first latching portion of the strip has a first edge interconnected to the first hinge and a second, hooked edge. The second latching portion of the strip has a first edge interconnected to the third hinge and a second, hooked edge. The hooked edge of the first latching portion and the hooked edge of the second latching portion form a mating relationship with the strip in the closed configuration.
The first latching portion of the strip includes a plurality of axially spaced slits therein. Each slit in the first latching portion is transverse to the axis of the strip. The second latching portion of the strip includes a plurality of axially spaced slits therein. Each slit in the second latching portion is transverse to the axis of the strip. A second plurality of hinges is spaced along the axis of the strip. Each hinge of the second plurality of hinges extends along the back portion and the bottom portion of strip and is transverse to the axis of the strip with the strip in the open configuration. Each slit in the first latching portion of the strip is coaxial with a corresponding hinge of the second plurality of hinges and with a corresponding slit of the plurality of slits in the second latching portion with the strip in the open configuration. It is also contemplated for the second latching portion to include a generally flat face disposed between the first and second edges thereof. The flat face includes a plurality of axially spaced apertures therethough for allowing access into and out of the raceway.
In accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention, a flexible conduit that forms a raceway for cables and wires is provided. The flexible conduit includes a generally flat strip extending along an axis. The strip includes a first latching portion, a backing portion, a bottom portion and a second latching portion. A first hinge interconnects the first latching portion and the backing portion of the strip. A second hinge interconnects the backing portion and the bottom portion of the strip. A third hinge interconnects the bottom portion and the second latching portion of the strip. A plurality of spaced, folding hinges are also provided in the strip. Each hinge of the plurality of folding hinges extends along a corresponding hinge axis generally perpendicular to the axis of the strip such that the strip is foldable along the plurality of folding hinges between the first open configuration and a second folded configuration. The first latching portion has a first edge interconnected to the first hinge and a second, hooked edge. The second latching portion has a first edge interconnected to the third hinge and a second, hooked edge. The strip is foldable along the first, second and third hinges between a first open configuration and a second closed configuration wherein the strip of material defines the raceway. The hooked edge of the first latching portion and the hooked edge of the second latching portion form a mating relationship with the strip in the closed configuration.
The first latching portion includes a plurality of axially spaced slits therein. Each slit in the first latching portion is transverse to the axis of the strip. The second latching portion also includes a plurality of axially spaced slits therein. Each slit in the second latching portion is transverse to the axis of the strip. The plurality of folding hinges spaced along the axis extend along the back portion and the bottom portion of the strip. Each of the plurality of folding hinges is transverse to the axis of the strip with the strip in the open configuration. The second latching portion includes a generally flat face disposed between the first and second edges thereof. The flat face including a plurality of axially spaced apertures therethough for allowing access into and out of the raceway.